Savor Every Second!
Brand New Year, brand new slate.
I know that’s technically not true. I mean, just because the calendar flipped one page, we have a brand new slate? But it feels correct, doesn’t it? Every year, on January 2nd, I get very excited about the opportunity to improve my life during the next 12 months.
This morning in meditation the phrase, “Savor every second” came to me and I feel compelled to write about it. It’s a wonderful phrase, don’t you think? Savor every second. It brings to mind delicious things: a hot shower or a warm, fragrant bath; the first cup of tea or coffee in the morning; a glimpse of the sun after a week of stormy weather; a glimpse of snow or rain after months of unrelenting sun. Each of us savors different things but the act of savoring is perhaps the best gift you can give to yourself, every single—well—second!
On New Year’s Eve I went to see the comedian Paula Poundstone and, as I sat in the audience, waves of laughter flowed around me from behind, from below and from either side (and from inside of me!). It was wonderful. I didn’t realize in that moment that I was savoring but I realize now I was. I was drinking it in, amazed by my good fortune to be in the audience with my friend Sharon, joining in the fun.
Savoring is for the small, wonderful parts of life as well as the dramatic ones. It’s all about sights, smells, touch and sounds and finding something wonderful in every moment.
When I looked up the word savor in The Synonym Finder by Rodale, I found the phrase, “Get a kick out of.” That’s a big part of savoring every second. Last night I found on my DVR the Christmas program for Saturday Night Live. It turned out to be a repeat of Christmas 2013 but I watched it because Jimmy Fallon was the host and I get a kick out of Jimmy Fallon. He just makes me smile. He vibrates with excitement even when he appears to be standing still.
My bonus for watching the show? Justin Timberlake was part of the cast and did an impression of Fallon that was spot on! It was so much fun to watch! Even Fallon himself couldn’t not laugh (contrary to the photo).
You can savor anything if you put yourself into the right frame of mind—work, play, chores, errands, noisy kids on planes—it’s all about your mindset.
What do you savor that might surprise me? I’d love to hear.
